Thursday, 18 April 2013

Fantastic views of four beautiful Arctic Terns at Hes East this evening, plus a Common Tern. Fortunately one landed to swallow a fish and enabled me to grab a photo. Chris and Tim have some awesome shots with their DSLRs...

First singing Blackcap of the year in Bish this morning. No sign of the Waxwings since Sunday afternoon. Yesterday evening, an early Hobby cruised low through Hes East, where there were 8 or so Yellow Wags present. Swallows and House Martins back in Bish since the weekend.

Sadly this male Waxwing hit a window in Beech Avenue and died shortly afterwards. A sad end to a lovely bird that has survived a long winter. It's mouth was full of blood which suggested it died from internal bleeding.

Wednesday, 3 April 2013

This Herring Gull was on the beach at South Bay, Scarborough on 1st April. Turns out it was rung as a second calendar year at Pitsea Landfill Site, Essex back in February 2010, making it now in it's fifth calendar year. It was first seen in Scarborough in July 2010. It would seem that this is a Yorkshire bird that goes down to Essex for the winter perhaps, or at least did in it's first winter.

Thanks to Chris Dee at the North Thames Gull Group for the info on this bird.

Support the Zeiss Yorkshire Terriers

Champions of the Flyway 2018: Please make a donation to help stop the slaughter of migratory birds

At Wheldrake Ings, 2017

Northern Latitude Birding Attitude

About me...

Follow me on Twitter: @birdingdad

If you see anything interesting in the York area, please email me recorder@yorkbirding.org.uk

I am a birder from York, who became a Dad in April 2008 (and again in March 2010). I birded York until 1993 when I went off to UEA in Norwich. After spending some time in Madagascar and Indonesia, I ended up in Cambridgeshire. In May 2009 I moved away from one of the best inland birding patches, Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire, to live in Norfolk. I birded the mid-Yare Valley NNR (Strumpshaw - Buckenham - Cantley) for 18 months, but have now moved back to York, where I'm from.Most of my time is spent on Dad duties and my band, Our Enemies, but when I get chance to go birding, I spend my time tramping round the York area, especially the LDV and Wheldrake Ings, and getting across to Flamborough and Filey from time to time. The rest of the time I try and work on my nature skills, checking out this and that.

I work for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (since 2010) having formerly worked at Norfolk Wildlife Trust (2009-2010) and Beds, Cambs, Northants Wildlife Trust (2001-2009).

I also do a bit of leading/guiding for Yorkshire Coast Nature and Wildlife Travel.

I am on the committee of York Ornithological Club where I am the Bird Recorder for the York Recording Area (see map).

The image at the top of the page is part of a flock of Pomarine Skuas, one of my fave birds, taken on Harris in May 2011.

My old Indybirder website, as reviewed in Birdwatch mag no less!: http://indybirder.tripod.com

UK Pan List Total: 1,346 (at 16 August 2015)

The Rare and Scarce Birds of the York Area 1965 - 2015

Available to buy now from the York Ornithological Club - click the image to visit the YOC website

Great Grey Owl

The best bird I ever saw. Great Grey Owl, Alberta.

Blog hits

Check out Yorkshire Coast Nature

Discover amazing wildlife and stunning landscapes of the Yorkshire Coast, North York Moors National Park, Great Yorkshire Forest and Yorkshire Wolds. Our wildlife tours and photography workshops are led by local and professional expert guides eager to help you discover the secrets of Yorkshire’s unique natural history..

York area birding map (thanks to YOC)

Yank Wigeon

Found at Castle Howard, 12 Feb 16

Green-winged Teal

Found at Wheldrake Ings 20 Dec 15

Green-winged Teal, North Duffield Carrs

Found Jan 15 amongst tonnes of Teal

Dusky Warbler

Found on a guided walk at Flamborough South Landing, October 2013

Short-toed Lark, Aird an Rhunair

We found this mini lark in the machair near the skua watch point, May 2013

Pallid Swift, Flamborough

My first good Yorkshire find since returning to the county, Flamborough Oct 2011

Pectoral Sandpiper, Grafham Water

Mark Hawkes and myself found this Pectoral Sandpiper flying over at Grafham Water, Sept 07, fortunately, it landed on the muddy shore.

Laughing Gull, Grafham Water

Having found Cambridgeshire's first in November 2006, I was shocked to also find the second - this bird, on the dam in June 07

White-rumped Sandpiper, Grafham Water

Cambridgeshire's third and a good find at Grafham Water, in October 2006. This corker flew past with Ringos and Dunlin and landed on the shore in front of me. Corker!

Ring-necked Duck, Grafham Water

My first decent 'find' at GW, this corking drake was with the Tufties on the sludge lagoons on a sunny April morning.

Blue Rock Thrush, Porthgwarra

Ten years on from the shrike and we were back in Cornwall. Dunc proclaimed I have just seen a blue bird! And then this popped up. Britain's third and a first for mainland Cornwall. This isn't a photo of the bird.

Isabelline Shrike, Zennor

The first good bird I was involved in finding, with my folks, and old mate Duncan Poyser, at Zennor in October 1989. Cornwall's first record. This isn't a photo of the actual bird.